When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they’ll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. OurPrivacy Noticeexplains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time.

A court has heard how a man was left with a permanent scar on his face after he was "viciously" attacked at a Waltham Abbey hairdressers.

Danny Valentine, 29, of no fixed address, last October had started shouting "come on then, come on then. Let's have you" at a man while he sat having his hair cut.

Valentine walked away before shortly returning, trying to push through the door and smashing the door glass window.

He then proceeded to attack the man through the smashed glass who suffered a "significant and permanent scar" to his left eye from the incident.

The victim was incredibly fortunate that he did not permanently lose sight in his eye from the attack.

Valentine appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court via video link for sentencing on Tuesday (May 11) after previously pleading guilty to one count of grievous bodily harm and one count of criminal damage.

Sign up to the EssexLive newsletter

If you're looking for a way to stay up to date with the latest breaking news from around Essex, the EssexLive newsletter is a good place to start.

The daily update will deliver the top news and features to your inbox every morning and evening.

We choose the most important stories of the day to include in the newsletter, including crime, court news, long reads, traffic and travel, food and drink articles and more.

Signing up to the newsletter is simple. Justput your email address in the box at the top of this story and click 'subscribe'.

It's one of the many ways that you can read the news that matters to you from EssexLive.

A question of 'bad blood'

(Image: Essex Police)

Prosecutor Richard Whitcombe told the court hearing - which was conducted over video call - that Valentine had made his way to Sizzor's hairdressers on Highbridge Street in Waltham Abbey on Saturday, October 27 last year (2019).

At 2.30pm, the victim was sat getting his hair cut before he saw Valentine at the door.

Valentine, who worked as a scaffolder, then shouted at the victim "come on then, come on then. Let's have you".

A staff member who was cutting the victim's hair urged him not to go out there and to ignore Valentine before the victim reassured them that he would not be.

Valentine then left but returned shortly after and tried to push open the door to the hairdressers while the victim attempted to keep it closed with his shoulder.

Valentine then smashed through the door's glass window and "struck a blow" through kicks and punches at the victim through the broken glass.

Follow us on Instagram - On the Essex Live Instagram page we share amazing pictures of our stunning county, and if you tag us in your posts, we could repost your picture on our page. Click here to follow Essex Live on Instagram.

Mr Whitcombe explained to the court that Valentine had just a few weeks before the incident, reported twice to the police that he had been assaulted by the victim.

However, Valentine later withdrew his "support for the police investigation of those instances".

The court also heard from Mr Joshie that Valentine had previously said he believed he was assaulted "because of some bad blood between his brother" and the victim.

Valentine had claimed that he had almost been kidnapped along with his pregnant girlfriend which is why he then dropped the police proceedings.

'A vicious act of gangsterism'

Judge David Turner QC during the sentencing made reference to the fact it wasn't clear whether or not Valentine and the victim knew each other.

He said: "It is very unclear to me what exactly happened on the afternoon of Saturday, October 27, except that you behaved badly and had lost your temper and anger in deliberate and premeditated violence towards another individual.

"I have many concerns about where the truth lies in relation to events.

"The complainant, in this case, claims not to have known you at all and in effect had been attacked by a complete stranger.

"But that appears to be a lie because you had made specific complaints to the police about having been assaulted by him or that he had been a part of a group that assaulted you.

"But this I'm afraid was a vicious act of gangsterism by you - taking the law into one's own hands because you were angry and you did what you did.

"He may have acted badly in the past but he didn't deserve this terrifying incident to be inflicted on him - smashing your way through the doors, breaking glass and inflicting him with a four-inch cut to his face.

"He is lucky that he hasn't been rendered blind in the left eye."

Judge Turner commented that Valentine's motive behind the act was "revenge or retaliation".

Valentine was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for grievous bodily harm as well as one-month imprisonment to run concurrently for criminal damage.